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MBA for career switch?

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MBA for career switch?

by Don Wrigley » Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:18 am
I was wondering if this is a compelling reason to enter b-school for an MBA, a career switch. In my case, from Software Engineering to Investment Banking. Are MBA candidates successful in switching careers through an MBA? I'm talking of a relatively early career switch, with 3-5 years of experience in Software Engineering.

More specifically, how would adcoms look at this? How should the stated goal be framed to cater to the essays? Is there anything else specific I should know about trying to get into a top b-school with this goal in mind?

I have good stats--750 gmat (47Q46V 6.0AWA), not great but not terrible UG 3.0 (BS in CS), good work experience with a promotion and continuously more responsibility in team leadership as well as teamwork that bridges several business departments. I'd like to attend a top b-school, and am looking for ways to frame my essays toward my goal--which would be a career change.

Taking my stats into account, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chances I'd have at the following schools (in order from top choice to last):

1. Wharton
2. Columbia
3. NYU (Stern)
4. Duke (Fuqua)
5. Virginia (Darden)
6. Carnegie Mellon (Tepper)
7. Notre Dame (Mendoza)
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by erins » Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:13 am
Hi Don,

Many candidates applying to business school are doing so with a career switch in mind. We always advise these applicants to present a compelling, logical case outlining the reasons behind wanting to make the switch as well as how your prior experience may have prepared you for your future goals. In addition, highlighting the steps you have taken to familiarize yourself with your targeted industry is important, particularly in these economic times. For example, have you networked with bankers to learn more about the field? arranged for informational interviews with banking professionals? or talked to friends who are working in the industry?

Showing that you have "done your homework" will demonstrate that you are in fact serious about this desire. In our conversations with Admissions Officers (which are posted on our blog), they have acknowledged that career switching can be quite challenging in this hiring environment and as such, these candidates need to show that they have "gone the extra mile" to prepare. Lastly, having "back up" goals may make sense.

Also, I have attached the links for two recent blog entries which address career switches in this market.

https://www.mbamission.com/blog/2009/06/ ... ls-really/

and

https://www.mbamission.com/blog/2009/07/ ... oyability/

Your GMAT will help to offset your GPA - if there were any extenuating circumstances regarding your grades during UG, you could address this in your optional essay. You also did not indicate whether you can point to community service involvement or extracurricular activities post-college. This is also an important component of an applicant's profeil. Based on the information provided, I'd suggest selecting 3-5 schools from your list with 1-2 stretch schools i.e. Wharton/Columbia as well as 1-2 more reasonable programs i.e. Darden/Stern and perhaps one school as more of a safety i.e. Tepper or Mendoza.


I hope this helps.
Regards,
Erin
Erin Schuhmacher, MBA
Senior Consultant

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by Don Wrigley » Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:46 am
During more normal (read: better) economic times, is a career switch to investment banking more palatable? I know noone can predict the market, but I have no problem waiting out another year or 2 before applying if it'll help.

As far as extracurricular activites, I have the following:

-Started/run website to track baseball statistics at minor league levels. Includes revenue to cover all costs with small profit, multiple volunteers organized to update the site.

-Board of Trustees from College fraternity

-Youth baseball coach in home city


Because of my interest in investment banking, I see Columbia as the perfect fit for me, with its NYC location and finance-heavy curriculum and recruiting. Would it help me to apply ED (of course I'd probably wait until at least next year)? I know that their stance is that ED candidates have no better chance than others, but I find this hard to believe and wonder if it's completely true. Of course the only risk is getting in and not getting to go to Wharton if selected--but if that means a greater admissions chance, the risk seems worth the reward.

Actually I find what you said about specific schools pretty interesting, I'd always thought of NYU/Darden as slight stretches, Tepper as reasonable and Mendoza as semi-safety--glad to know that NYU/Darden are reasonable, as I see NYU as Columbia-lite (NYC location, finance heavy curriculum/recruiting).

Let me know if you have any recommendations based on this, thanks for your help so far :)
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by erins » Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:52 pm
Hi Don,

Sounds like you do have some community service/extracurricular involvement so this will help your candidacy. You should strive to present stories which highlight both your professional and community/entrepreneurial experiences in your essays.

The decision of when to apply is a personal one, but you are right that no one has a crystal ball, so waiting for the job market to improve may not be advisable if you otherwise feel ready. Who really knows what the world will look like a year from now or even when you were to graduate in 2012?

What I was saying is that, given the economic malaise, you should show that you have taken extra steps to show that you are committed to this job switch and have prepared (as much as you can now) for the next step in your career.

I hope this helps.
Erin
Erin Schuhmacher, MBA
Senior Consultant

Our Mission is Your Mission

mbaMission

www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBA Mission

Read the mbaMission Guides (12 individual school titles)
Visit the mbaMission Blog
Follow mbaMission on Visit the mbaMission Twitter
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by Don Wrigley » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:23 pm
Great information, thanks a lot.

One last thing--you mention that if I have a compelling reason for a low ugpa, I should talk about it in my optional essays. Well, to tell the truth, I don't really have a great reason. I'd call it apathy; I had no intention of going to graduate school for anything when I was in College, up until maybe my senior year, when I was able to achieve a 3.5 for the year.

I don't want to make any excuses, is this the type of thing I should say in my optional essay? Would it be worth it to take some time from applying and take some undergraduate courses at community college (probably online) to prove my academic aptitude? I have full confidence that I can take some courses and get some A's.

So my optional essay could look like the following: "bad grades due to apathy, senior year and beyond undergrad grades + excellent gmat shows that I am academically capable etc etc."?
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